I keep meaning to get one or two but still haven't! Get what I hear you ask?
The answer is Christmas Nutcrackers!
Do you have any? Do you like them?
One of our sons has some and they do look attractive.
(The image above comes from google)
Of course thinking about Nutcrackers got me thinking about their history so without further ado please read on and discover more 😊
The History of Christmas Nutcrackers
Figures of Nutcrackers are quite a common Christmas decoration now. However, they only became popular around the world after World War II.
Nutcracker dolls have been made in made in parts of what's now Germany and Czechia/Czech Republic (around Bohemia and Saxony) since the late 1600s. They might have originally been made as good luck symbols or caricatures.
One story says that a rich but grumpy farmer couldn't find a good way of cracking walnuts and offered a reward to anyone who did. A wood carver from the village of Seiffen (in Saxony) made a doll with an opening and closing mouth which was powerful enough to crack nuts. It was a great success and the farmer rewarded the village!
Today Nutcracker dolls are normally made like toy soldiers but they were also made decorated like miners, the police and kings.
By 1800 they were popular decorations in the areas of Saxony and Sonneberg. There are records of them being sold in Dresden market in 1786. Napoleon occupied this area in the early 1800s and it might have been Nutcrackers made to look like Napoleon and his soldiers which gave them the look we still have today.
Nutcracker dolls became popular around other parts of Germany and Europe from the early to mid 1800s.
The Nutcracker Ballet
In 1816, the book "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" was published. It was written by the German author E.T.A. Hoffmann and tells the story of a little girl called Marie and her toys on Christmas Eve.
The original story was originally quite scary! In it Marie's toys come to life on Christmas Eve and a Nutcracker figure/doll helps lead the fight against an army of mice.
The story was adapted in 1844 by the French author Alexandre Dumas. In 1892, the Russian composer Tchaikovsky and his friend the Russian choreographer Marius Petipa used a much simpler version of the story and made it into a two act ballet called The Nutcracker. In the Ballet the girl's name was changed to Clara.
The first performance was in Saint Petersburg and it wasn't very popular, although people liked the music.
In 1934 a version was put on which made quite a few changes and was more popular! The first full performance of the ballet outside Russia also took place in 1934 in England.
The first full version of the ballet in the USA was on Christmas Eve 1944 by the San Francisco Ballet and it was very successful. It's been performed every Christmas Eve since then by the San Francisco Ballet.
The New York Ballet put on its first performance in 1954. Since then it's been a popular Christmas event across the USA and around the world.
Nutcracker dolls also became popular in the USA after World War II, when American soldiers brought them back as presents from German Christmas markets.
The timing of the dolls coming to the USA and the ballet being popular came together to make Nutcracker figures popular at Christmas first in the USA and then around the world!
Figures of Nutcrackers are quite a common Christmas decoration now. However, they only became popular around the world after World War II.
Nutcracker dolls have been made in made in parts of what's now Germany and Czechia/Czech Republic (around Bohemia and Saxony) since the late 1600s. They might have originally been made as good luck symbols or caricatures.
One story says that a rich but grumpy farmer couldn't find a good way of cracking walnuts and offered a reward to anyone who did. A wood carver from the village of Seiffen (in Saxony) made a doll with an opening and closing mouth which was powerful enough to crack nuts. It was a great success and the farmer rewarded the village!
Today Nutcracker dolls are normally made like toy soldiers but they were also made decorated like miners, the police and kings.
By 1800 they were popular decorations in the areas of Saxony and Sonneberg. There are records of them being sold in Dresden market in 1786. Napoleon occupied this area in the early 1800s and it might have been Nutcrackers made to look like Napoleon and his soldiers which gave them the look we still have today.
Nutcracker dolls became popular around other parts of Germany and Europe from the early to mid 1800s.
The Nutcracker Ballet
In 1816, the book "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" was published. It was written by the German author E.T.A. Hoffmann and tells the story of a little girl called Marie and her toys on Christmas Eve.
The original story was originally quite scary! In it Marie's toys come to life on Christmas Eve and a Nutcracker figure/doll helps lead the fight against an army of mice.
The story was adapted in 1844 by the French author Alexandre Dumas. In 1892, the Russian composer Tchaikovsky and his friend the Russian choreographer Marius Petipa used a much simpler version of the story and made it into a two act ballet called The Nutcracker. In the Ballet the girl's name was changed to Clara.
The first performance was in Saint Petersburg and it wasn't very popular, although people liked the music.
In 1934 a version was put on which made quite a few changes and was more popular! The first full performance of the ballet outside Russia also took place in 1934 in England.
The first full version of the ballet in the USA was on Christmas Eve 1944 by the San Francisco Ballet and it was very successful. It's been performed every Christmas Eve since then by the San Francisco Ballet.
The New York Ballet put on its first performance in 1954. Since then it's been a popular Christmas event across the USA and around the world.
Nutcracker dolls also became popular in the USA after World War II, when American soldiers brought them back as presents from German Christmas markets.
The timing of the dolls coming to the USA and the ballet being popular came together to make Nutcracker figures popular at Christmas first in the USA and then around the world!
Words above from article here
Makes eight
70g sunflower seeds
120g nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, macadamias)
2 tbsp chia seeds or flax seeds (linseeds)
60g almond butter
25g unsweetened desiccated coconut, plus additional for rolling
2½ tbsp uncooked cacao powder
1 tsp floor cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
Instructions, more details
can be seen here
~ enjoy your day ~
All the best Jan
32 comments:
The NutCrackers are fabulous. Great history on them too. I would like to make those pops. Have a nice day.
I didn't know Alexander Dumas wrote a version of The Nutcracker--I'll have to look it up.
BTW--American soldiers weren't supposed to bring back artifacts from WWII Germany. My uncle had an accordion confiscated after packing it around for months. I guess nutcrackers were easier to hide!
I have a nutcracker I bought decades ago at a Christmas shop. I keep it out all year. Thanks for the interesting history :)
...those chocolate balls look wonderful. ☃️ 🎄 ❄️ 🎅🏼
No, I don't have any Nut Crackers.
No we don't have any Nutcrackers.
Interesting to read about the history.
Tina
Nice history surrounding the Nutcracker. I do have a couple of them. Mine are not the very expensive handmade German ones, though. The chocolate nut balls look great. Enjoy the merry days ahead.
That was interesting! I have a friend who has a collection of them and brings them out every Christmas.
Amo los cascanueces. Gracias por la receta.
The balls sound great!
No Christmas Nutcrackers here. Thanks for the history.
Can say I haven't seen that many down here.
Merry Christmas to you and your family - and a Happy New Year.
The only unsweetened grated coconut I can find is brown and crunchy. What brand do you use that is white?
I had many but for years now they are AWOL Maybe the box is in the attic? A lovely history.
Always informative learning new facts from you
Hello,
I used to have a few nutcrackers, but I downsized and gave away many decorations.
The chocolate balls look yummy!
Take care, have a great day!
Thanks for the yummy recipe and the information on nutcrackers. -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
Nutcrackers are also a beautiful decorative element. The balls look very appetizing.
Hugs and greetings:)
Fun to read the history. We don't have the wooden nutcrackers, but have them as lighted, wall hanging decorations, and an ornament on the tree
Thanks for the history. I have a nutcracker which reminds me of the ballet. I have never used it as a nutcracker only a decoration.
Wonderful
What a great history about the NutCrackers. And chocolate balls are my favourite snacks. They look delicious. Greetings. Merry Christmas. Happy new year.
The chocolate balls look delicious. Thanx for a great article. It is difficult to crack walnuts properly with nutcrackers without breaking all the insides. We have a special "key" you insert in the walnut to open it and the insides remain whole.
God bless.
REPLY TO Linda who said...
The only unsweetened grated coconut I can find is brown and crunchy. What brand do you use that is white?
Hello Linda
Sorry you are having problems getting white desiccated coconut.
Here in the UK the major supermarkets and health food stores stock a good variety.
Not sure if Amazon, or similar on-line stores do, I haven't checked, but most probably.
Hope you will be able to find some.
All the best Jan
What a nice post. I enjoyed it. Your photos are always so good. Yes, you are right; according to a German folk legend, nutcrackers were traditionally given as gifts to bring luck to the receiving family and protect their home.
Greetings out of a "stormy" Netherlands
Aritha
Ohh those look tasty!
I think Nutcrackers are really popular these days but don't remember them being that popular in the 80s when I was growing up.
Muy bonitos cascanueces. Felices fiestas, feliz Navidad.
Love the nutcracker story, and that recipe looks so healthy and delicious, will definitely have to try it!
xoxo, MIDORI
https://www.midorilinea.com/blogs/midori-linea/designer-life-to-mommy-life
I have a few nutcrackers -- and just realized there is one I didn't get out this year. I might have to remedy that if I can find the right box in my torn up basement! Meanwhile, those chocolate pops look good.
We leave for several days with the kidlets so I may not be back on blog much before Christmas. So, I wish you and your family the most beautiful and merriest of Christmases. d
We do not own a soldier nut cracker but a dog nut cracker that was in my hubby's family, it is made from steel.
The balls look nice but I don't think the nutcrackers do. Interesting story though.
One of my cousins collects them.
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